DSM, Evonik formally establish JV for production of omega-3 fatty acids from algae

[EU] Holland’s Royal DSM and Germany’s Evonik Industries have established a new company, Veramaris V.O.F., for the production of omega-3 fatty acids from natural marine algae for animal nutrition.

The 50:50 joint venture is headquartered at the DSM campus in Delft in the Netherlands, the companies said, in line with a plan announced last March.

Veramaris’s algal oil will enable the production of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DHA) for animal nutrition without using fish oil from wild-caught fish, they said.

Construction of the $200 million production facility at the Evonik site in the US, in Blair, Nebraska, has commenced and is proceeding according to plan, the companies said.

Commercial quantities of the algal oil rich in the essential omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA will be ready for sale in 2019. Pilot quantities for market development purposes are already available. The initial annual production capacity will meet roughly 15% of the total current annual demand for EPA and DHA by the salmon aquaculture industry.

Veramaris will be headed by CEO Karim Kurmaly and chief financial officer Frank Beissmann. Marine biologist Kurmaly has been with DSM for more than 16 years, most recently as vice president animal mutrition and health in Asia Pacific. Beissmann, an engineer, has been with Evonik for more than 20 years and has held various positions in production, supply chain, marketing and controlling.

“Our algal oil, rich in both EPA and DHA, is our response to the industry’s call for a sustainable and traceable source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Veramaris will now enable our partners along the value chain to grow in a responsible way and meet the demand for healthy animal protein rich in both EPA and DHA for consumer health,” said Kurmaly.

“Our goal is to establish the industry standard. We are committed to delivering consistent high-quality of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Drawing on our expertise in supply chain and logistics, we are able to transition customers to Veramaris as smoothly as possible,” said Beissmann.

A special priority would be given to any locations that are subject to a "state of emergency" designation within the previous 12 months because of blooms. In Florida, 13 counties affected by algal blooms this summer fall under that designation.

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